The Sunday Million

[The following was submitted by Shelties, winner of the week 3 Sunday Million ticket]

I thought I'd give an update on how the Sunday Million tournament went with the ticket that I won here in the MD Donkfest League.

This was my second Sunday Million, I won a ticket in the ITH League for the first one. But I didn't do well against the 12k+ player field (it was a 2.5 Million prize pool) finishing about 4400th in my first attempt. I was hoping to have a better run this time.

For this one I waited until yesterday, the 7th, to play. I had planned to start loose and see plenty of cheap flops hoping to build early. Even with 15 min blinds and a 10k starting stack the blinds increase deceivingly fast. My table was seven handed and the first level, 25/50, went fine. I was running 40/20 and finished up about 300. Not much, but there were no big pots played at my table in level 1 and at least I got started in the right direction. The second level I was doing ok until I picked up KQo in MP. I raised 3x first in and got called by an ultra-loose player on my immediate left. The flop was 72K rainbow. I ck-called the flop intending to lead the turn. I raised the turn and he called. The river put a flush and straight on the board which I wasn't worried about with the flop being what it was. I bet the river, he called and showed AA. I posted the hand here: http://www.internettexasholdem.com/poker-forum/hand-from-2nd-level-in-million-vt63934.html I didn't know it at the time but this was the beginning of my end. I lost 30% of my stack and though 7k-ish is still very workable I just couldn't get anything going. In level six I was getting short when I picked up JJ on the button. UTG limped, it folded to me. I raised 3.5x, he called. The board was 578 rainbow, the pot was 3200 so I shoved my last 3500. He called w/KJ and missed, I doubled and was back to 10.2k.

It was pretty ugly from there. In level 9 I was dealt 17 hands and saw a flop exactly zero times. I went out in the 3rd hour in level 10. In Level 10 the blinds were 500/1000 75a. There was a min raise from UTG, one caller and a shove from the CO. I shoved from the button with 78o. The first two folded, CO had AQ. The board was J6A8A and I was out. 7196 entered, I finished 2324. 1080 got paid so I wasn't even close.

I have to admit that it was a bizarre experience. The early hand with KQ really bugs me but overall I'm happy with my play the first 90 minutes, but the last 90 I was way off my game. I felt I missed a couple of opportunities late which may not have turned things around but could've been a start anyway. I was hoping for a better outcome but as each tourney is it was a learning experience. I'm certainly looking forward to playing it again should I get the chance. I'd like to thank you guys for the opportunity, it is very generous of you to set this all up.

See you at the tables,
Shelties